Baghdad: Dr. Dindar Zebari, the coordinator of international recommendations in the Kurdistan Regional Government, discussed with Lieutenant General Ahmed Saleh Al-Zarkani, the Director General of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, ways to enhance cooperation and coordination in the field of combating narcotics and psychotropic substances.
According to Iraqi News Agency, the Office of the Coordinator of International Recommendations in the Kurdistan Regional Government stated in a statement that “Zebari met with Al-Zarkani in Baghdad, and during the meeting, mechanisms for strengthening cooperation and coordination between the relevant institutions in the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal authorities were discussed, as well as the exchange of information and experiences, in order to support efforts to prevent and reduce the spread of drugs and psychotropic substances and their social effects.”
Zebari stressed “the importance of adopting a sustainable mechanism for coordination and exchange of information and expertise, especially between the relevant institutions in the Kurdistan Regional Government and their federal counterparts, in order to enhance joint work in this field.”
The importance of strengthening cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as a key international partner in the fight against drugs, was also emphasized, as was the role of the Office of the Coordinator of International Recommendations in coordinating with it on relevant files and programs.
The two sides discussed “the importance of the participation of relevant institutions in the Kurdistan Regional Government in workshops, training courses and national and international programs, particularly the opportunities provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in order to contribute to developing capabilities and expertise and enhancing prevention and response efforts.”
They also discussed cooperation in the areas of prevention, awareness, treatment, and rehabilitation, as well as combating the trafficking and illicit distribution of drugs and psychotropic substances.
For his part, Lieutenant General Ahmed Saleh Al-Zarkani affirmed the readiness of the relevant authorities to enhance communication and joint work with the Kurdistan Regional Government, emphasizing the importance of continued coordination and the exchange of information and expertise.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of continuing coordination between the relevant institutions in the Kurdistan Regional Government and federal authorities, strengthening cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and developing joint programs and activities in the field of combating drugs and psychotropic substances.